Jalen Nailor (83) completes a touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Darnold in a home win over the Packers last season. (Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Seven months later, Nailor – with only 40 career catches, albeit 30 first downs and seven touchdowns – is doubling down on his claim that he warrants more attention.
“For sure,” he said. “Just something I got to continue to prove to the outside world that I’m a great player, too.”
Nailor switched his jersey to No. 1 this year. Seems like a subtly bold move, perhaps.
That’s also when Nailor got the nickname “Speedy,” which has stuck with him from Pop Warner through Year 4 in the NFL.
“My first year of tackle football, in Lancaster, Calif., I had a coach named Coach Haywood, rest in peace to him,” Nailor said. “We were doing sprints and I was beating everybody by a lot. After practice, he said, ‘I’m going to start calling you Speedy.’ And it stuck.”